Author: Subodh Ghildiyal
Publication: The Times of India
Date: July 14, 2006
Turning a blind eye to the Centre's directive
to clamp down on SIMI for its suspected involvement in the Mumbai massacre,
UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday gave a virtual clean chit to the banned
extremist outfit.
"SIMI was not found to be involved in
the two main terrorist incidents in the state," he said, even as he parried
a question on whether he would act on the Central ban on the outfit. His brother,
PWD minister and the virtual no. 2 in the UP government, Shivpal Singh, went
a step further to declare: "SIMI is not a terrorist organisation."
The strong defence flies in the face of SIMI's
involvement in the Shramjeevi train blasts near Jaunpur which killed 10 people.
The case was investigated by the state police and a strong link with SIMI
activists was unearthed. State home officials, too, have acknowledged the
spread of SINU in the state under Mulayam Singh's tenure.
The move is sure to annoy the Centre, which
has stepped up its attempt to rein in SIMI after the terror outrage in Mumbai
on Tuesday.
